Outboard motor stand



1960 w. D. TODISH EI'AL ,966,319

OUTBOARD MOTOR STAND Filed Jan. 12, 1960 2 sneaks-sheet 1 INVENTORS M Damua Tba/sl/ R4 1010410 M JEu/Msau Ray E. McE-nwaw BY K 19 ran/vars 1960 w. D. TODISH ETAL 2,966,319

' OUTBOARD MOTOR STAND Filed Jan. 12, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4 26 26 F l V x 3 1 INVENTORS M Douala Toms/l RA wmwa M'J'ahwsmv R Y E. Me Palace/v Arron/as United States Patent O i OUTBOARD MOTOR STAND Walter Donald Todish and Ray E. McFadden, Minneapolis, and Raymond W. Johnson, Coon Rapids, Minn., assignors to Scott-Atwater Foundry, Division of S & A Company, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Jan. 12, 1960, Ser. No. 1,904

6 Claims. (Cl. 248-13) This invention relates to stands for supporting outboard motors in upn'ght positions, for display or storage.

Outboard motors, due to their inherent construction with a downwardly tapered lower unit and propeller near the bottom, require the use of an external support means of some sort if they are to be displayed or stored in an upright position. The conventional manner of supporting a motor in this position is to provide a stand or the like having an elevated bar on which the boat bracket of the motor is clamped in the same manner as it is clamped to a boat transom when the motor is operationally mounted on the boat. Such stands are bulky and ex pensive and conceal portions of the motor.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a stand for an outboard motor which will rigidly support the motor in an upright position while yet extending upwardly along the motor only along the lowermost portion thereof so as to leave virtually the entire motor exposed for viewing and accessible for working thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide an outboard motor stand which is collapsible for storage or shipping in a minimum amount of space.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an outboard motor stand adapted to securely support a motor in upright position by merely engaging the anticavitation plate of the motor, the stand being extremely small and relatively unnoticeable so as to not detract from the appearance of the motor as it is displayed for sale.

With these objects in mind the invention broadly comprises a body member having horizontally disposed slot means for receiving and seating the cavitation plate of an outboard motor, and leg means for supporting the body member in elevated position over the floor or other supporting surfaces. The invention is further characterized by detachably connecting the leg means to the body member enabling the stand to be collapsed. An additional feature resides in the provision of wedge means for insertion between the cavitation plate and body member to assure a firm seating of the former in the latter.

The above mentioned and still additional objects of the invention will be brought to light during the course of the following specification, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a top perspective view of the stand ready for use.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the stand with the lower portion of an outboard motor mounted thereon.

Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view of the stand carrying a motor and with the motor lower unit shown in section.

Fig. 4 is a rear end elevation of the stand.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through the stand taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2 and looking upwardly.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical section through the stand taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section through the body member taken on line 77 of Fig. 6 and looking downwardly.

2,966,319 Patented Dec. 27, 1960 Referring now more particularly to the drawings reference characters will be used to denote like parts and structural features in the different views. The stand is designated generally at 9 and comprises a body member 10 supported by left and right complementary leg elements denoted respectively at 11 and 12.

The object of the stand 9 is to support an outboard motor M, having a lower unit L carrying propeller P and depending from the laterally and rearwardly extending anticavitation plate C, in an upright position over the floor or other supporting surface F (Fig. 2). While plate C serves an anti-cavitation function it is commonly referred to as a cavitation plate and will be so identified hereinafter.

Body 10 is formed of metal such as cast iron and has a general U-shape with longitudinally extending side body portions 14 joined at their front ends by a front portion 15. A pair of forwardly opening transversely opposing tubular sockets 16 are provided one on each side portion 14 on the underside thereof. Similar sockets 17 opening rearwardly are provided to the rear of the sockets 16 on the body portions 14. The body 10 is provided with grooved troughs 18 extending forwardly from sockets 16 and troughs 19 extending rearwardly from sockets 17 in relatively diverging relation.

The leg members 11 and 12 are each formed of a section of metal rod or tubing configured as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in a relatively closed U-shape with the base portion 20 thereof slightly arched between its ends to provide two point contact with the surface F and straight upright portions 21 and 22 converging on a common plane from the base portion with the terminals 23 and 24 thereof bent into axial alignment to be respectively inserted in the sockets 16 and 17 on one side of the body. Terminals 23 and 24 are held in the sockets by tension in the leg member and the upper lengths of portions 21 and 22 respectively rest in the troughs 18 and 19 to limit outward movement of the member 11 about the axis of terminals 23 and 24. Accordingly when the leg members are connected to the body as shown in the various views they will assume and be locked in the relatively spread positions shown. The members 11 and 12 therefore jointly provide a broad four point contact with the fioor F with the body 10 in relatively centered position within the points of contact.

The spaced body portions 14 have transversely spaced and facing inner walls 25. Body portions 14 are provided with relatively deep horizontal slots 26 which extend throughout the length thereof opening inwardly through the walls 25 and which are interconnected across the rear side of the body front portion as shown in Fig. 7. These slots are horizontally aligned with each other and open through the rear wall of the body portion as shown in Fig. 4 allowing the cavitation plate C of an outboard motor to be moved forwardly into the body portion with the sides of the plate fitting in the slots 26 and the lower unit disposed between the body portions 14.

The vertical width of each slot 26 is substantially greater than the thickness of plate C and the bottom wall of the slot preferably extends upwardly as at 27 near its outer edge (Fig. 4) so that when plate C is inserted into the body member the wall portions 27 will tend to support the plate C in a spaced relation with respect to the inner portions of the slot bottom wall.

To securely seat the plate C in the body 10 a pair of elongated wedge elements 28 are provided for insertion under the cavitation plate. These elements are longitudinally tapered and have gripping handles 29 at their thicker ends. The elements 28 are preferably formed of a material which is hard enough to be longitudinally wedged between the plate C and wall of slot 26 with a minimum of friction and yet sufliciently resilient to exert an expanding force when compressed. Certain types of plastic such as nylon are very suitable for use in these wedge members.

It will be understood-that the leg, body and wedge members may be shipped or stored in disassembled condition. To assemble the stand the leg members are mere- 1y. sprung outwardly to insert the ends 23 and 24 into the sockets 16 and 17. The cavitation plate of the motor is then inserted into slots 26 and wedges 28 are driven into position under the plate C to secure the motor in the stand.

So mounted in the stand the motor may be displayed in an attractive manner or when used merely to store the motor all critical portions thereof are unobstructed as far as viewing or repair and maintenance operations are concerned. The construction d sclosed accordingly economically and effectively carries out the aforementioned objectives. 7

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in the structure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within thespirit and scope of the appended claims. Having now therefore fully illustrated and described our invention, what We claim to be new and desire to. protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A stand for supporting an outboard motor in an upright position over a floor, saId motor having a cavitation plate extending laterally from opposite sides of the lower portion thereof, which comprises a body member having horizontally spaced body portions, said portions having horizontally opposed facing slots for receiving the opposite sides of the cavitation plate, support means connected to the body member and extending downwardly therefrom for supporting the body member in spaced relation above the floor.

2. The subject matter of claim 1 wherein the support means comprises a plurality of leg members which relatively diverge in their downward extension from the body member and having detachable connection with the body member.

3. In a stand for supporting; an outboard motor having a drive shaft, housing: anda cavitation, plate extending laterally from the-housing on opposite sides thereof, a member having portions adapted to extend along the opposite sides of the housing, means for securely clamping said portions respectively to the cavitation plate on opposite sides of the housing, and means for supporting said member in elevated position over a supporting surface.

4. For an outboard motor having an elongated drive shaft housing and a cavitation plate on the housing disposed on a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of the housing, a standfor supporting the motor with the housing in an upright position, said stand comprising a member having portions adapted toextend along opposite sides of the housing, said portions having horizontally opposed slots opening toward the housing for receiving and seating the side portions of the cavitation plate, said slots having a substantially greater vertical dimension than the cavitation, plate to be received therein, wedge means for insertion into the. slots and against the cavitation plate to secure the plate firmly in said member, and leg means connected to the body member for supporting sad member in elevated position over a supporting surface.

5. In an outboard motor stand, a body member having a horizontal U-shape with transversely opposing side portions connected by a front portion, said side portions having inwardly opening facing slots in transverse horizontal alignment adapted to receive and hold the opposite sides of the cavitation plate of an outboard motor, the body member having front and rear pairs of sockets on the underside thereof with one socket of each pair located on each. side portion, and leg members extending downwardly from the body member in diverging relation withthe upper ends thereof detachably inserted in said sockets.

6. The subject, matter of claim 5 wherein the front sockets open forwardly and the rear sockets open rearwardly and with the front and rear socket on each body portion being in axial alignment, the leg members com.- prising generally U-shaped members having terminal portions inserted in said sockets, and stop means on the body member engageable with the leg members to hold them in their relatively diverging positions.

Hinesman July 21, 1953 Johnson Aug. 10, 1954 

